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Star Swirl The Beaded
Star Swirl the Bearded is a male unicorn who is alluded to in various episodes and other media before making his first physical appearance in the season seven finale Shadow Play. He also appears in the IDW comics and Budge Studios' mobile game Harmony Quest. He is first mentioned by Twilight Sparkle in Luna Eclipsed as "the most important conjurer of the pre-classical era." Development and name M.A. Larson, the writer of Luna Eclipsed, It's About Time, and Magical Mystery Cure, selected the name Star Swirl out of a list of pre-approved locations and names by Hasbro, then added "the Bearded" because it didn't sound "quite old enough". Larson stated that Twilight Sparkle "would be the kind who'd idolize the great minds of the past."3 The name Star Swirl was given by Hasbro to several Earth pony mares in toy lines of previous My Little Pony generations, and has been used in Friendship is Magic's corresponding toy line for another Earth pony mare. A printable Twilight Sparkle paper cutout on The Hub's website, a post by The Hub's Facebook page, closed captions for Luna Eclipsed on the official HasbroEpisodes YouTube channel, different closed captions for Luna Eclipsed and closed captions for It's About Time both on the DVD My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Adventures in the Crystal Empire, closed captions for Magical Mystery Cure on the DVD My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Princess Twilight Sparkle, and a post by Wired's Underwire blog have spelled it "Star Swirl" as this toy line has,4567 though Meghan McCarthy and Larson (both on Twitter), The Hub's Facebook app Ponyscopes, and closed captions for Shadow Play - Part 1 and Shadow Play - Part 2 have spelled it "Starswirl";8910 Enterplay's trading cards have used both spellings, and an Enterplay dog tag checklist has listed "Starswirl the Bearded" with a trademark symbo Personality According to Princess Celestia in Magical Mystery Cure, Star Swirl the Bearded did not understand friendship like Twilight Sparkle does, and as a result, his secret last spell remained unfinished. In Friendship is Magic Issue #17, Princess Luna describes Star Swirl as having a similar personality to Pinkie Pie. Flashbacks in the issue depict him as being eccentric and carefree, like Pinkie Pie. Like Twilight, he is shown to have a deep passion for magic and learning and a thirst for knowledge, as well as being very adventurous. He appeared to have a friendly relationship with Celestia, as she confides in him about her concerns about Luna and he encourages her to join him on his otherworldly escapades. Despite his cheery demeanor, however, Star Swirl is also shown to have a serious side, as he puts his foot down for the good of the kingdom and seals the portal to the other dimension that Celestia had been visiting without his knowledge. He is said to carry huge grudges, as Celestia states her friendship with him was never the same after she lied to him. However, in Issue #20, he forgives Celestia and suggests they forget the whole thing ever happened. In the season seven finale, Star Swirl is portrayed as slightly egotistical and narrow-minded, initially bitter toward Twilight for releasing the Pony of Shadows from limbo and believing that villains are incapable of befriending others, putting him at odds with Starlight Glimmer. With both Twilight and Starlight's help, however, he recognizes his prior pettiness and poor judgment, and he reconciles with Stygian after the darkness inside him is banished. In season eight, Star Swirl has become more humble and easygoing since the battle with the Pony of Shadows, befriending and helping several ponies during his travels and regularly sending Twilight postcards of his experiences. He has also become more trusting and idealistic, even giving Flim and Flam the benefit of the doubt. Category:My Little Pony friendship is magic characters Category:Males